


Five Times Kissed

by orphan_account



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-31 09:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8573830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Jack and Katherine's relationship through kisses.





	

The first time takes Jack completely by surprise. She’s _fuming_ , eyes narrowed and nose crinkled with growing frustration as he looses his temper. She’s got a fist to his chin, and he just moves closer, watching her back away a step each time he took one towards her, shouting with his arms spread and chin raised. The startled expression on her face as she takes deliberate steps backwards, lowered hand using the railing by her side to keep herself steady, only encourages him. _Good_. She’s surprised. He’s  **full** of surprises. Full of surprises and twists and he’s ready to give up. If he’s going to lose things, let him loose _**everything**_.

“Well, don’t let that stop you! give me your best shot!” 

 _GO ON. DO IT. DON’T LET YOU BEING A GIRL STOP YOU FROM GIVING ME A PIECE OF YOUR MIND. GIVE ME A GOOD–_  

                                                                                                                                                                                          –kiss?

Katherine pulls away after a heartbeat's time, eyes still on his lips for a quiet moment. Jack’s mind is busy rebooting while she visibly realizes what she’s just done with a tiny start. By the time he reaches to put an arm around her waist and lean in again, she’s using his chest to push away, leaving him _helplessly_  confused.                                      

                                                                   “  _–———— huh_?”

 

\---

 

“Jack, my **eyes** are up _here_.” 

Her voice pulls his attention back to her, as he’d been carefully studying their feet with **intense**  determination. Sheepish, the young man laughs a bit, raising his eyes to meet hers again, having started there when she’d pulled him from his seat to dance.  Katherine watched him with a smile that informed him she was holding back her own bit of laughter. They were _both_  aware that these galas weren’t exactly his thing, but he consistently insisted on going with her anyways. Unfortunately, that meant he had to learn how to blend in with people who had enough money they could ( and probably somehow _**did**_ ) own him, initiate small talk, wear a suit and tie ( he cleaned up nicely, to everyone's surprise but his own ), and **dance**.

“Sorry. Just trying not to–” 

“Step on my toes? Jack Kelly, you’ve already stepped on them three times when we _weren’t_ dancing.” 

“Sorry. Again.” 

“You _are_  getting the hang of this, though. You just need to relax a little.” 

“It ain’t as easy as you make it **sound** , sweetheart.” 

Katherine makes a face as a playfully exasperated sigh escapes through slightly parted lips the color of a newly bloomed rose. Jack quickly steals another glance down at their feet before they slow a bit along with the music, simply swaying in place now. Swaying was good. He could sway.

“Just _breathe,_ " she soothes, giving their joined hands a squeeze, "Contrary to your belief, you don’t actually stick out like a sore thumb.” 

“–You mean it?” 

“ _Why_ would I lie to you about that, Jack?” 

Jack bites his lip, tearing his eyes away to look around the room nervously, scanning the crowd for anyone who might be watching him with **disapproval** \-- he didn't want her to be looked down upon for _his_ presence or lack of finesse. Katherine has to patiently clear her throat to get his attention once again. In response, he pulls her a little closer before looking back down at her, a small smile making it’s way back onto his face. How could he _not_ smile when he had the most beautiful and charming girl in the room dancing with him?

“Okay. I can try relaxed.” 

“Good,” Katherine grinned widely before using her hold on his shoulders to push up and give him a kiss to convey her contentment with his response, “That’s _all_ I ask.” 

“Note that I said **_'try'_**. That was the key word there.” 

“ _Jack_.”  

 

\---

 

The stars are extraordinarily beautiful that summer night. Yet, somehow, they can’t outshine Katherine Pulitzer. Jack’s unusually antsy as he leads her up to the rooftop, and even a stranger who saw him passing by on the street could tell you something was  _undoubtedly_ off. But what a stranger thinks of him is the very last thing on his mind at the moment. His brain’s a beehive full of worries and anxious thoughts; They stung at his skull, each one sharper and more unnerving than the last. The small gasp that leaves Katherine’s mouth as a dainty spread of fingertips is pressed to her chest the moment she reaches the roof is something he finds comfort in, though.

With Crutchie and Davey's help, Jack had managed to arrange small candles around his small sanctuary above the busy New York City streets, circled around a blanket that’s spread neatly out, a basket set carefully upon it. He doesn’t let go of her hand as he watches and gauges her reaction meticulously, two seconds away from breaking out into a cold sweat.

“What is _this_?” The question slips from her lips, breathless as she turns to him, the smile she wore a fond one.  

“A surprise,” Jack replies without missing a beat before gently ushering her away from the ladder, still trying to swallow the lump of hot **panic**  that had lodged itself in his throat. The moonlight’s captured her in it’s embrace, illuminating her as it would an angel; a moonbeam halo glowing around her head and catching each carefully formed curl and the rosiness of her cheeks as he studies her for an abrupt moment of silence.  This was _unbearable_. He couldn’t stand it for another minute. His pocket was burning up, and he was going to **_explode_**  if he waited another moment not knowing. He’d gotten the green light from Pulitzer–                                                           

                                                                                                                                                           There was nothing **stopping**  him.                  

“Kath, _I —-_    You know I **love**  you, right?”

Katherine raises an eyebrow, suddenly suspicious as she nods slowly. How could she not? Between his fussing, the doting, and constant vocalizing of his affections towards her, it was rather hard to miss.

“Well, of _course_ I do.” 

“Of course,” he parrots absentmindedly as he shoves his hands in his pockets, finally letting go of her hand, “ _Right_. Then you’d know I’d want nothing more than to **keep** that. Hold onto it for as long as I possibly can. Because you– Well, _god_ , Kath, you’re **_everything_**. And I’ve never met anyone as incredible and interesting and passionate as you in my life. Never found anyone I cared about like I care about you, either. I wake up, and I look forward to learnin’ something **new** about you every day. I wanna do that my whole life.” 

In one swift motion, he’s pulled a small black box out of his pocket and is on one knee. The way Katherine’s eyes turn the size of saucers would have **derailed**  him if not for the astonishment in the smile spreading across her face.              

“ Katherine Pulitzer, will you marry me?” 

The delighted _scream_ that comes out of her as she launches herself into his arms just about brings him to relieved tears. The poor guy’s hands were still trembling slightly as she cups his face and plants an excited kiss to his lips.

“Jack Kelly, it took you _damn_  well long enough!” The moment she pulls away to speak, both of them laughing and grinning uncontrollably to the point where it pained their cheeks, Jack’s hands move to take her hand and slip the ring on. Once that’s taken care of, he lifts his hands up to guide her lips back to his.

“I’ll take that as a  _‘yes’_.” 

 

\---

 

“You may now kiss the bride.” 

You don’t have to tell Jack  _ **twice**_. He’s been itching to kiss his new wife (  _god_ , that sounded better than he could’ve dreamed it would ) since she made her appearance at the end of the aisle on her father’s arm. She’d looked _stunning_. He’d expected her to, considering he found her alluring on any given day, but when the doors opened to reveal her standing there, in her pearly white dress and veil, hair carefully pulled up with a gentle curl framing each side of her face, he just about lost it. Lucky for him, Davey was there to catch him should his knees start to buckle.

She looked wholly angelic, and he was utterly and unabashedly captivated. His eyes never left her face as Katherine slowly made her way to where he stood at the altar. Her cheeks were flushed and the moment they locked eyes a wide grin spreads across her lips when she sees her groom is about ready to cry. No one had seen Jack Kelly close to tears of joy in a very long time. So after waiting rather impatiently through the service, speaking when he needed to, and stumbling through his vows, Jack was _more_ than ready to kiss Katherine with all the pent up passion and undiluted love he’d been holding back.

The rowdy cheers that arise from his side of the hall when he takes her hands and pulls her close to do so are expected, but it amuses him nonetheless. After all, the boys weren’t known for their good manners and polite enthusiasm. But if anyone was going to be there for his wedding, it was the boys and Medda. Weepy applause comes from Katherine's side of the hall, and Jack is almost **certain** he caught a glimpse of Joseph Pulitzer himself wiping a tear from his eye.

The newlyweds don’t break their kiss until they remember that breathing is _kind_ of important.  

 

\---

 

There’s a somber silence hanging heavy in the air as they stand opposite each other, a bag slung over his shoulder. There was no way around it. No way to escape and still keep his dignity and pride. The War had claimed many of his friends as it was, now that America had gotten involved, and it would be shameful if he were not to go help them. The letter he’d received in the mail spelled out, quite clearly, that he didn’t really have a _choice_ in the matter, anyways. 

But to be a **hero** , to truly make something of himself, it was a chance he couldn’t pass up. He could become someone that people could look at and admire; people would look at him and respect him. He could be worthy of _**her**_. No one would give him degrading looks anymore, no one would believe that Katherine had married someone beneath her anymore. No, there was no passing this up. No hiding, no running. If only he could wipe that distraught look off his wife’s pale face, he could leave. Ever since she joined him for breakfast this morning –he’d made chocolate chip pancakes for the both of them – she’d been wearing that same expression. Like she was ready to cry at any moment, and it hurt Jack to know he was the reason for it.

“I’ll write to you,” he finally speaks, his voice soft and reassuring as he attempts to get her to look him in the eye, “Every chance I get, I’ll write to you.” 

She doesn’t say anything, her eyes still trained on the ground at her feet, holding herself as her bottom lip trembles slightly. Jack swallows hard, eyebrows knitting together as he struggles to keep his own composure. 

“I’m gonna be okay, Kath. I’ll come **home** – I _promise_.”  He couldn’t promise that. That was unfair, “The War’s gonna be over before you know it. Y’hear people talking about how _close_ the end of it is all the time. It’s going to be okay.” 

“I’m gonna miss you _so much–_ ”  Her voice is small and the moment it **breaks** , he’s dropped his bag to the floor and she meets him halfway once he moves to embrace her. Her arms wrap around his neck, holding fast and tight, and buries her face into the crook of his uniformed shoulder the same moment his arms capture her waist. He inhales, taking in as much of her as he can while he can. The picture of her he’s got tucked into his pocket isn’t going to be enough, but it’s something. They stay like that for a while, occasionally breaking to pepper each other’s lips with light kisses and murmuring broken assurances and ‘I love you’s. Neither wants to be the one to pull away; neither wants to let go.

“They’re gonna come _knockin_ ’ if I wait any longer,” Jack whispers, unwillingly loosening his hold on her. 

“Let them.”  Even now, she can still pull a tiny laugh out of him. He pulls back, moving his calloused hands from her waist to her cheeks, memorizing every detail that he’d drawn so many times. Tears stain her face, bottom lip trembling, despite her fruitless attempt to recompose herself.

"I'm gonna make you proud," he murmurs, and the shuddering sigh that moves through her frame as she closes her eyes knots his brow in concern ( had he said something wrong? ).

"I don't need you to make me proud. I need you to come _**home**_."

he pauses, biting down on his raw bottom lip to fight for composure.

“I’ll write to _you_ , too,” she continues, her voice loosing the edge it held a moment before, “every day until it's _you_ knocking on that door.”

Jack supplies a gentle smile as he strokes her face with his thumb, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before picking his bag up from where it sat temporarily abandoned on the ground.

“I love you, Jack Kelly.”

Jack locks gazes with her, and he smiles slowly once again once he sees her tilt her chin up, determinedly not shedding another tear; not until he’s left, at least.

“For sure?” 

Katherine smiles and exhales a shaky laugh before nodding vigorously, curling bouncing.

“For _sure_.”


End file.
